A Correspondent, Dhakuakhana: Veteran folk theatre exponent and Vaishnava Sadhaka, Bhogeswar Bharali, passed away on the evening of May 21, at his residence in Jalbhari village under Dhakuakhana sub-division of Lakhimpur district. He was 84 and succumbed to a sudden heart attack, leaving the cultural community in mourning. Born in 1941 into a Vaishnavite artistic family, Bharali dedicated over five decades to enriching and preserving Assam’s Bhaona and folk theatre traditions. From a young age, he immersed himself in performing and directing Bhaona, Yatra Palla, Raas Leela, and various traditional dramas across undivided Lakhimpur. In 1971, he founded Jalbhari Natya Mandir and Jalbhari Natya Samaj, igniting a cultural movement in the region. That same year, after receiving formal training in traditional theatre and costume design in Jorhat, he established Bharali Dress House, which became a hub for producing and training youth in folk costume creation, ensuring continuity of the art through the Guru-Shishya tradition. Bharali also collected and preserved rare Mahapurushiya scripts and plays, becoming a guardian of Assam’s intangible heritage. In 2020, he was honoured with the Government of Assam’s Artiste Pension for his contributions to Bhaona. His passing triggered an outpouring of grief. Tributes came from all quarters, including Dhakuakhana MLA Naba Kumar Doley and Co-District Commissioner Kartik Kalita, who hailed him as a cultural icon. He leaves behind a lasting legacy and generations of artists inspired by his life’s work.
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